


The Spring Show

by purplebylove



Series: The Series of Events [2]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Continuation, Musical, audition, spring show
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:34:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22578655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplebylove/pseuds/purplebylove
Summary: Set after the events of "The Ski Trip," now it's time for the big spring show. When someone doesn't get the part they want, things get complicated for Ricky and Nini.
Relationships: Ashlyn Caswell/Big Red, E.J. Caswell/Gina Porter, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts, Seb Matthew-Smith/Carlos Rodriguez
Series: The Series of Events [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1624663
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

The break was great for everyone, but especially Ricky and Nini. They had been close their whole lives, but this was something new, and getting to start their relationship without school or drama or anything else taking their attention away from each other was great. They did spend time with their friends, but after two weeks of dating, Nini practically lived at Ricky's house.

Now school is about to be back in session and there is definitely something very important coming up: auditions for spring show. This year, they're doing Beauty and the Beast, and Nini has no idea what to audition with. Getting the part of Gabriella really made her start to feel the pressure. The adrenaline of being in the spotlight was like an addiction, but she didn't want to get her hopes up and be devastated in the end.

"I wrote an original I was thinking about auditioning with." Nini says against the silence of her room; normally they'd be at Ricky's house, but Ricky had surprised her and shown up with leftover spaghetti he had made. She had shown him some of the basics of cooking, but over break, he really honed his cooking skills. It was nothing special, at least that's what Ricky would say, but she was really proud of him.

"Can I hear it?" Ricky is sitting beside her as she lies on her bed, writing in a notebook. He's entertaining himself on his switch while she plans her audition song. She had written down like, twelve so far.

"I don't know about that one, babe." Nini chews the end of her mechanical pencil. "I wrote it before we got together, I don't want you to hate it."

"I could never hate anything about you." Ricky says, angling his body more towards her. The way he smile, she knew he was right. Well, for the most part. She's pretty sure if she like, murdered his family, there would be more than just a little hatred towards her. He looks at her expectantly and Nini sighs, pulling out her mini keyboard from under her bed.

She had only played the song a few times; it made her a little too emotional. Still, it was definitely the best thing she's ever written, and auditioning with an original would make her stand out above the rest. With Gina vying for the lead this time around, more so than usual, she definitely had to step it up. 

Nini plays through the song, avoiding Ricky's gaze. She can feel it like a laser beam burning a hole in the side of her head. When the final notes fade, she finally looks up, and Ricky has a fond look in his eyes.

"What?" Nini asks, feeling slightly insecure. He was the only one she was completely vulnerable to, and sometimes it was a little nerve-wracking.

Ricky brushes her hair behind her ears. "That's amazing. You're a shoe-in for Belle."

"You think so?"

Ricky nods.

"Good." Nini says. "Then I have to practice it every day until the audition. In three days."


	2. Chapter 2

Audition day.

Nini had prepared for this every day for the past three days, just as she had planned. Still, she's nervous. Ricky and Ashlyn had no doubt that she would be Belle, but she didn't see herself playing the lead again. 

The spotlight is so bright, Nini can't see anything. It's probably a good thing, but she can't shake the feeling of judgement. Nini takes a deep breath as the instrumental to her song begins. There's a moment of just music, and then she's letting go. She had missed the stage, and even if this was just an audition, she still gave it all she had.

The applause brings Nini out of it when she's finished, and she gives a small bow before scurrying off stage. Now was time for the dance portion. While the auditioners finish up, Nini and Ricky work on the dance Miss Jenn had assigned. 

It's a slightly intricate ballroom style dance that Belle and the Beast would be doing at the end of the show. Dancing with Ricky, she knew that they had to get the parts; it was so natural and easy, even if the dance itself was difficult. Ricky had never even done a show before High School Musical, and he made it seem effortless.

Fifteen minutes later, Miss Jenn calls for all the people who are auditioning for the main characters.  
  
"Alright, partner up everyone. We will be doing the final dance sequence." Miss Jenn states, gesturing to Big Red to play the music. 

Nini and Ricky are perfect, but she can't help but compare them to the others; Gina and EJ had insane chemistry, and were far more talented than her or Ricky, as much as she hated to admit it. Ashlyn and her partner were doing great, too. It didn't seem like Nini was a shoe-in, after all.  
  
"Hey, look at me." Ricky leans into her, whispering against her ear. "You're doing great."  
  
"I know." Nini says softly. "I'm just nervous."   
  
Ricky breaks away from the script, spinning Nini and then dipping her. They get back into the flow immediately, but everyone's eyes are on them. The song comes to an end and they finish with a pose.

"Fantastic, I think I've seen everything I need to see." Miss Jenn claps her hands together. "Cast list will be posted in an hour, I have some very hard decisions to make."  
  
An hour feels like an eternity when you're waiting for one of the biggest decisions of your life. Okay, that's a little dramatic, but it felt like that to Nini. Finally, Miss Jenn has the list up, and everyone is scrambling to see who they got.

Nini takes one look at the list and has to sit down. She wants to cry, but she knew she had no right. She kind of expected this, but she let Ricky get into her head. Not that it was his fault, he always saw her at her best, but this time, her best wasn't good enough.

"Hey."   
  
Nini looks up and Gina sits beside her. "Congratulations."  
  
"Thanks." Gina puts an arm around Nini and gives her a half smile. "I'm sorry you didn't get the lead."  
  
"It's okay." Nini shrugs, trying to make herself believe it. "You deserved it."  
  
"Yeah, but I know it's going to be awkward." Gina says gently. "I hope it doesn't strain our friendship."  
  
Gina had gotten Belle and Ricky had gotten the Beast. EJ was Gaston, and she had gotten one of Gaston's girls, the girls that were always following him around and fawning all over him. It's not like it was a bad part, but being cast opposite your ex wasn't thrilling either. She had to deal with that and Ricky with _his_ ex.

_"_ Of course not," Nini says, standing up and forcing a smile. "We're all professionals."  
  
"I'm glad you can see it that way." Gina says, giving her a hug and running over to EJ. 

Nini finds Ricky leaning against the wall by the casting list and he immediately grabs her hand. "You were robbed."  
  
"I wasn't." Nini disagrees. "Gina is so talented."  
  
"Miss Jenn didn't cast you because you were the lead last time, I'm sure of it." Ricky argues.  
  
"Then what about you?"  
  
Ricky gets silent for a moment. "I don't know."  
  
"Exactly. I'm proud of you, though. You deserved it, too."  
  
"Hey, why don't we go somewhere just the two of us?" Ricky says, pulling her towards the door. Nini wants to protest, but she also wants to be happy for her boyfriend, so she follows. They walk to a nearby park and Ricky insists on swinging on the swings.

"You know, you never stopped being a child." Nini observes, pumping her legs as she tries to get higher than Ricky.  
  
"At _heart_." Ricky corrects her, before jumping off at the highest point.

Nini laughs and follows his lead, landing beside him. Her voice is soft as she looks at him and says "You always know how to cheer me up."

"I try." Ricky shrugs a shoulder.

He reaches up, stroking her cheek with his thumb, and she grabs his hand to hold it. "You're my best friend."  
  
"Better be." He says, standing up. He pulls her up by the hand he's already holding, but she doesn't even have the time to find her footing before Ricky is picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Put me down!"  
  
"Make me!" Ricky challenges, running around the park.

"Ricky!"  
  
Ricky finally stops, setting Nini down gently. Nini glares at him, but says "Thank you." and starts walking.  
  
"I can't tell if that's sarcasm." Ricky says slowly, following Nini to one of the picnic benches. 

"Figure it out." Nini laughs. There's a moment of silence as they sit, and Nini bites her lip. "Rehearsals start next Monday."  
  
"I know." Ricky says, rubbing his foot against Nini's. That's one thing about Ricky that Nini loved; he was always showing her affection, even in the smallest ways. It didn't seem like much, but it was always reassuring, and sometimes she needed it. 

"This is the first time I'm actually not as excited for a musical as I thought I would be." Nini sets her arms on the table, leaning her chin against them.  
  
"It's okay to be disappointed." Ricky says gently.   
  
Nini nods. "I know."  
  
They sit there talking for a while before Nini decides she needs some time to herself to process her disappointment. She watches as Ricky leaves, questions swirling through her mind, but she knows everything is going to be fine. Or at least, she hopes it will.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuation of The Ski Trip, since a lot of people wanted to see it continue. I decided to make it a series, so that each idea has it's own part.


End file.
